Brussels Airlines to take on 20 German pilots
The Zaventem (Flemish Brabant)-based airline Brussels Airlines has given temporary contracts to 20 German pilots. The airline’s decision has met with indignation from Belgium’s aviation schools. The schools say that they already have great difficulty finding work for newly-qualified pilots.
The 20 Germans pilots come from Brussels Airline’s mother company Lufthansa. The duties will include flying Brussels’ Airlines new Airbuses.
In a reaction to the criticism from the Belgian aviation schools, Brussels Airline’s Geert Sciot told journalists that Belgian pilots don’t have the profile that his airline is looking for.
"We have a temporary need for pilots that are able to fly Airbuses. This kind of experience is not present among the pilots currently available on the Belgian employment market.”
However, Mr Sciot goes on to assure the Belgian aviation schools that "We will certainly continue to take on new young Belgian pilots in the future. However, we now have a good reason to go and look for experienced pilots in Germany.”